Tales of the Chosen
by Mitsuki313
Summary: Forced from their home, legendary Pokemon wander the 4 regions, searching for a new hope. What happens when they find that hope in the heart of a 14 year old girl? Her life will never be the same again and better yet, what path will she choose of a hero?
1. Prologue

Tales of the Chosen

By: Mitsuki313

Prologue-

The four regions: Kanto, Jhoto, Hoenn and Sinnoh enclose together to form the world. What lies in the center of those four regions is an island where the legendaries are said to live and roam. They travel, leap and loom around the land, protecting those that lied on the outside

However, this island was discovered not too long ago by an evil man by the name of Giovanni. For his own uses, he planned on catching the legendaries to put on his team, Team Rocket, and thus the madness began.

The legendaries that rest there scattered across to the various lands and tried to blend in with the other environments. With fear of their lives and the outcome of the world, the legendaries banned together in hopes of opposing the team and living peacefully.

Although Team Rocket was oblivious to the legendaries location, they were not ignorant as they formed allies with three other teams: Team Magma, Team Aqua and Team Galactic. Together the four teams separated in the four regions, trying to recruit whatever legendary they found, using whatever force they could.

With mystery, they found secret bases and drew themselves away from the world just as the legendaries did. Eventually it came to a point where the legendaries had no choice but to flee, flee with all their might. Band together and flee in hopes of the changes in the teams' hearts.

------------------

Running…Running…Running…Forever running through the shifting shadows and the littering darkness that grasped onto their bodies and lurched them into their clutches. One stood out from the rest, a blue and liquid gush of color flowed through its sleek four pawed body. Wavy, lavender hair rippled in the wind with a diamond shaped loop extending from its forehead. Darting, cautious red eyes grew into slits as it leapt knightly from tree to tree, with hopes of escaping danger.

Cackles lingered through the darkness, penetrating the creatures' sharp hearing and smooth reflexes. Malicious laughter rang through its ears while it fled from the dark and its craving for power. The creature swiveled its head for a glimpse behind them, growling in the box of its throat before hurdling a skulk roar into the air.

Paws turning, it faced the grueling evil and hissed through its teeth, "Leave now or meet your fatal end!"

The crooning rasp of their voices rinsed through the creature, nearly leaving it helpless inside a deep trance. "Suicune, there is no need for running. Just stay and we'll take care of you."

Suicune snarled, spinning loose onto its trail and scampering through the plant growth. Electric shocks launched out from behind it and sent paralysis kindling like surges around its legs. Suicune dispelled this nasty power and lurked further ahead.

Past the arch of the trees, Suicune saw hope with rims of houses towering above the trees. Kind, reassuring voices cradled ahead and Suicune felt relief sweep over her. Although she knew no one could be trusted.

Picking up more speed, Suicune ignited into the air, on top of the trees where she heard voices shout, "Look over there! It's Suicune, the legendary Pokemon!"

Peering around her, humans, all curious and stunned pointed her out with astonishment. Few of them reached inside their pockets and threw red and white capsules at Suicune in desperate attempts, all failing as Suicune smirked and jerked past them.

Suddenly, when Suicune evaded yet another, a red beam bound around her and ensnared her inside a wide, crimson net. Her limbs grew feeble and hollow; she collapsed onto the pebbled ground with trickling wounds scraping over her legs.

Suicune flinched with pain, agony bathing her as shocks coursed throughout her body. A piercing shriek wavered through the town, attracting more attention than the opposites of magnets. Numerous faces flashed through Suicune's eyes, one very familiar one standing so close that Suicune thought she could hear their breathing.

"Take it to the gym," the devious sneer of the leader commanded. "And make sure it receives a warm welcome."

Suicune fell silent, struggling through the trap that kept her vulnerable and powerless. Darkness overcame her, her thoughts dimming as she failed to stay awake. Slipping into unconsciousness, she prayed for aid and cried out to the legendaries.

As Suicune riveted into what seemed nothingness, the legendaries cascaded from the darkness that hid them from danger and soared into the vacant, free skies. A shrill howl cultivated over the regions, sending terror prying through the hearts of those that lived. This was no longer a game but a war.

------------------

A week before…

The sun varnished the bands of fog and tore through it onto the sheets of blank, white snow. Flakes propelled from the sky and kissed my cheeks, causing me to shiver and compress my mittens against my face. The trees dispersed snow from the hoods above them and dropped into mounds that thickened the dense blankets of snow. Children sprint around with laughter brandishing the noise that blossomed in the air. New Pokemon trainers sent out their new companions, and talked to them in hopes that they would one day become the greatest Pokemon trainer to walk across the four regions.

"Ava (A/N: it is pronounced: a-vuh)? Are you alright? You seem…depressed."

I shot my gaze toward the voice that had intruded my thoughts and noticed it had been my friend, Natalie. The sympathetic concern displayed on her face wrought my insides and I realized that my bottom lip was curled into a pout and a frown was yanking my face. I hastily enveloped a smile in hopes of deceiving Natalie but Natalie was too clever for her own kind.

"Ava, are you seriously alright? That fake smile won't do you any good, you know," Natalie added. "Is it because I'm…"

I couldn't bear to hear her say it, so I concealed my ears beneath the fabric of my mittens. The only thing I could hear now was my suspended breathing that cut loose when I saw her mouth the words. Those words stabbed my happiness, tore my heart, slit my throat and murdered my rapture. Although when it comes down to these things, I'm always somewhat of a drama queen. I knew it wasn't the end of the world but it felt like it. It didn't feel like this was the last time I would see Natalie but it was.

I removed my mittens that I had cuffed to my ears and brought my gaze toward the ground. My thoughts began to unravel with plans of making Natalie stay here, but it became as blank as the snow. Natalie's worried eyes hounded me and stared until it seemed that my face was burning with a tattoo of her eyes. I heaved a sigh and peered briefly into her concern, putting on a fresh smile that she knew to be real.

"Natalie, don't worry about me. I'll be okay. I'm just…overreacting." I swung my feet against a small mound and sent snow lunging a foot ahead. "You've always wanted to become a Pokemon trainer, so don't let me stop you. Go and see Professor Elm and get your Pokemon."

Natalie's eyebrows furrowed. "Ava, I don't think I should---"

"You deserve it, Natalie. Happy Birthday," I said, grinning so broadly that Natalie had to grin back.

Natalie held her arms a length apart, leaving a broad space on her torso as she stepped forward and pulled me into an embrace. I heard her whisper her final thanks and then spin around to run briskly in the direction of Professor Elm's.

My eyes riveted on her as she dashed off and I felt the chilly caress of tears streaming down my face. Tears bottled up in my eyes and I blinked several times until I felt them all trickling down past my chin.

My name is Ava Patterson. I am 10 years old and currently living in New Bark Town which is inside the Jhoto region. I have long, straight black hair with dark, mysterious brown eyes. I live with my Aunt Lacie since my parents had died in an unfortunate accident and I have two friends: Natalie Yoha (A/N: pronounced: yo-ha) and Reah Livingston. Through the years, I love Pokemon but I never wanted to become a Pokemon trainer. Being a Pokemon trainer is what killed my parents and is now taking away my friends.

Natalie Yoha is 10 years old and she moved to New Bark Town right about the time I did, when I was 3 years old. She has short blonde hair with highlights of brunette scattered across her hair. Her eyes are a ginger hazel which reflects her true feelings and emotions. When she was first offered to be a Pokemon trainer, she refused because she knew that I didn't want to become one but now she has decided she wishes to be one.

Reah Livingston, my other friend, just turned 11 and in a few days is leaving, too. She has medium-sized brunette hair that she usually ties into a ponytail. Her eyes have a tint of blue and green and she is almost always happy. Just like Natalie, she refused to become a Pokemon trainer at first because of my disliking for it but she has also decided she wishes to leave. Reah had been living inside New Bark Town ever since she was born and met me and Natalie when she was 8.

Clouds traced my steps as they loitered in the sky and sustained the sun in thick strips of misty cotton. The fog disguised rows of leafless trees and profound hills that carried the core of the snow. The wind burst into my face and dried the soppy, wet tears in a rush, of which the result was my damp cheeks. My fingers coiled into a fist which made my strength fierce and my grip powerful as I reached toward the ground and broke the aligned snow.

Up ahead was Reah's house and I knew that Reah was not awake and she had missed Natalie's good-bye. Reah tended to be always late when sleeping in, however, I didn't blame her for on a holiday you can't help but sleep in. The ice seeped through the tiny spaces in my mittens and my fist locked more firmly around the sphere outline of ice. Either way, I was still going to throw the snowball at Reah and scold her immensely till she understood to always be loyal to your friends. Especially if you probably won't ever see them again.

Approaching the door, I lifted my empty hand and knocked softly on the smooth wood with hopes of not triggering Rover, Reah's pet Poochyena, to wake up and start barking. Not a peep occurred from behind the solid door and I exhaled with relief, refraining myself one step backward to give enough space for Reah to step outside. I waited silently for what seemed forever until the doorknob twisted and a click popped my right ear.

The scrawny figure of Reah's mother, Mrs. Livingston, bobbed her head through the crack of the door with drowsiness wrenching in her blue eyes and her mingled slightly gray hair draping over her shoulders. Mrs. Livingston was at least a few years older than Natalie's mother and my aunt. She glimpsed out with suspicion but grinned lightly when she noticed me.

"Hello there, Ava. What can I do for you this morning?" Mrs. Livingston offered.

"Erm—I'm sorry if I woke you, Mrs. Livingston, but is Reah home? Or awake at least?" I inquired, making sure to keep the snowball fastened behind my back.

Her eyes cast darkly, the bright twinkle that illuminated in her eye and her face dimmed grimly. Her hands shook as if an earthquake was occurring and she scurried her hand into the house, jerking out a neatly enveloped letter. Sorrow drenched over her like a waterfall and I felt that same soberness cling and flow through me.

Shakily, Mrs. Livingston let the envelope fall gracefully like a snowflake into the nest of my tepid, warm hand. My fingers folded over the envelope's crest and I hesitantly turned it over to the side where the address was. Sentences and letters were scribbled over with inky, black pen and I couldn't make out what they said previously before they were marked out. My glimpse drifted onto the most visible words on the envelope of which my heart dove downward as if gravity had compelled it. The words read: "To: Ava, From: Reah". Below that was what really got tears mounting in my eyes.

"I'm sorry," I read aloud, my voice hoarse and unstable.

A regretful tone lingered within the stage of Mrs. Livingston's voice but she proceeded since I would be inquiring it anyway, "Reah left in a hurry last night. She took Rover and went straight down to Professor Elm's to retrieve her license. The reason she left is inside the letter." She hesitated as to say something further but decided not to.

I wanted to rip the letter open now to read it but the organized outlook was too much for me. I thanked Mrs. Livingston before coasting off like the coward I was. I was afraid to show my tears in public but that seemed hard to believe since I had just cried in front of many children that had run around when Natalie had run off.

I loped about, stumbling several times over the mush of snow. It was unbelievable, how could I lose the two closest friends in such a short period of time? I kept the letter huddled beneath the heat my parka provided as I scuttled behind the nearest building.

My uneven breathing drowned out my thoughts and I shook my head in order to clear my mind. I swiftly removed the letter from my parka and its condition was slightly crumpled but otherwise very neat. I ripped the triangle sealing the envelope and dug my fingers into its depths. I finally grew tired of this constant rummaging and dumped everything that lied inside the envelope out.

The letter was folded excellently, no flaws or marks was on its outside. I scooped it into my grasp and began to unfold it, finding that it was a bit heavier than any regular letter.

A key fell from the letter's center after I had finished unfolding it, a brass light gleamed from it and illuminated past the eerie fog that enclosed around individual objects. My eyes widened with amazement but I quickly shook myself out of it and began to read:

Dear Ava,

By the time you are reading this, I will already be gone and starting my own Pokemon journey. This simple life is too much because outside of that little town is adventure and I'm going to get it. I can't stand to live inside that impish town, I've lived there my whole life and I need a change. I dislike the choices Professor Elm gave me for the starters so I chose Rover. Thankfully, Professor Elm approved and now I'm writing this to you. Please don't be too mad at me and don't worry, I already said good-bye to Natalie. I told her not to tell you because I knew you wouldn't approve. Trust me, being a Pokemon trainer is so much more than what you think. I've been through more classes than you have and I'm inspired. I'm going to try to get more Pokemon…especially a Politoed; you know how I love their curly hair♥! Once again, I'm sorry and I hope you can forgive me.

Your dearest friend,

Reah

P.S. That key is special. I found it buried in the snow inside the forest. I think it leads somewhere…Keep it till I return, 'k?

I grimaced with awe at the letter and shriveled it in my hands. I threw it as hard as I could toward the wall and remained sitting there till I heard my Aunt Lacie's voice calling for me. But at that time it was nightfall and I had just closed my eyes. I couldn't hear Aunt Lacie's voice; it was a slur of nonsense pounding against the wall of my ears. I gave myself into slumber and lay quietly against the back of the house, dreaming of a better place and a better world.


	2. 4 Years Later & The Kidnapping

Before you start reading this chapter, I must add that I own this story but I do not own Pokemon and I never will own Pokemon. However, I do own the made-up characters I make up inside the story along with the Pokemon that is theirs including what is happening with my made-up characters. Here is a few things you must know before you begin reading this:

-This story will last for a long time or at least I'm planning on making this story very long. If you are not the type of person to accept a long story and feel as if you are wasting your time, I beg you to read through the chapters when I update and stay to see you like it.

-The story, being dramatic at first, will take a drastic turn (trust me), and if you have any questions feel free to ask me.

-I ask that you please read the first chapter and then submit a review of what you think.

Thank you and enjoy the story.

Chapter 1

4 Years Later & The Kidnapping

You think it's going to be a great day as you stir inside your bed but it's not. You think as the sun shines its most warm light onto you that you are in a peaceful sanctuary where all your dreams come true but you're not. I just had those moments, those moments where you come in thinking something and then leave thinking something else.

The sun lay on a perched brink in the center of the cobalt skies, illuminating past the linger of night and shedding smiles onto the town's people's faces as it formed a smile of its own. The branches of darkness that stimulated inside my room slivered away as the sunlight peered through the massive gap in my window. My long, silky black hair cast over my eyes but the wind guided my hair back as it brushed a few leaves inside from the window.

My limbs rest rigidly against the cozy, consoling blankets and pleaded for me to stay suspended on my bed with at least a few more minutes of sleep. Knowing that if I remained still any longer I would fall back asleep, I roused with discomfort and set one foot leisurely onto the rough, grungy; round carpet that my Aunt Lacie had placed there optimistically thinking I would like it. I didn't, however, like it but I accepted it to not crush Aunt Lacie's spirits.

My single foot skirmished against the prickly edges of the aged carpet and as it did so, I released a sigh. One foot down, one more to go.

It seemed pointless to get out of bed at this time, especially if my one of my feet wasn't cooperating with me when I tried removing it from the bed. But I knew that my aunt wouldn't tolerate my laziness. Nowadays she was pressuring me to go out and explore life. I was applying stress to her just by living within her house. Of course I had no intention of doing so and I couldn't help but feel guilty when I saw the gray streaks in her hair from stress. But I still had a small phobia of becoming a Pokemon trainer. Even now, when I was 14 years old, my height 5' 5", my weight 85 lbs and my black hair to the very midst of my back, I still refused to become a Pokemon trainer.

It seemed ridiculous to have feared it for so long but now I was wandering whether or not I had refused out of fear. Was it just out of stubbornness? Was it hoping not to overcome the same fate my parents had? Or was it the nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen if I did? There was a possibility that it was all three.

I shook off the thoughts and clambered eagerly out of bed.

An acid taste hauled in my mouth and spread like a virus down my throat. My throat twisted with disgust and throbbed with the desire of icy water to pour down its ends. I frowned at how parched I was. I had only just realized I hadn't had a decent drink in days, so now seemed to be the perfect time to get a quick drink.

I lumbered down the stairs, my fingers sliding gently against the railing that stood off to the side. The rum of the television that my aunt left on quite deafeningly damaged my hearing and I winced as I entered the living room. I stole a glance toward the leather rocking chair my aunt usually sat in but I stared in disbelief to find that, for once, she wasn't there.

Aunt Lacie had spent most of her mornings in front of the TV watching the weather channel or the news after she had made a small breakfast. She mostly turned the volume to its maximum volume because her hearing had weakened over the past years.

The mystified expression set on my face made my heart drop at the thought that something awful could've happened to Aunt Lacie. But then again the TV was on but why wasn't Aunt Lacie in front of it? Worry seemingly blurred my vision as I dashed towards the kitchen, gripping onto the wall for support of fear that I would trip out of my concern. I was still dramatic just like I had been when I was younger and once again, I overreacted. No surprise there.

The figure of Aunt Lacie obliterated the tension that washed through the outlets of my veins and I managed a gasp of liberation. The panic that had wrestled my insides admitted defeat as I felt my blood slow from the speed of a racecar to the speed of its regular status.

Aunt Lacie stood with an absent-minded glint in her eye, her voice reducing to a whisper as she saw me enter panic-stricken into the kitchen. The phone was pressed charily around her upper jaw, her chin clumped against the bottom speaker of the phone as if afraid that I could hear her utter a word.

This suspicious behavior was not surprising but it did make me question why she was more overprotective than usual. I couldn't hear a peep occur from her mouth and she was certainly quieter. It seemed as if she was just forming the words without making any sound, but Aunt Lacie was known for that when it came down to a conversation she didn't want me to hear.

I hobbled into the nearest seat and strained my ears to listen to Aunt Lacie's faint words. The TV's volume thundered from the living room and made my chances of eavesdropping worsen. My desperateness clustered out the TV and I leaned more closely in, pretending to observe the decorations my Aunt Lacie had hung along the walls.

"Why, yes!" Aunt Lacie suddenly exclaimed, making me jump as if the chair had hiccupped. "She would love to come over! How about tomorrow?" It was at this point that I began to understand what she was talking about. "Ava will certainly be looking forward to this…" She whispered her final words and anger struck me as I saw her mouth "professor elm".

"What was that about?" I asked, irritated since I already knew what her conversation was of.

Aunt Lacie brought herself into the chair next to me. "Oh, that was Professor Elm. And he wants you to bring Litia over."

Litia was the Swablu that Aunt Lacie had gotten me as a pet when she had went on a small trip to the Hoenn region. Of course she thought I was lonely and also she had pressured me to become a Pokemon trainer as she always did.

"Why does Professor Elm want me to bring Litia over?" I queried, attempting to pry information from Aunt Lacie. "Are you still trying to make me become a Pokemon trainer?"

Aunt Lacie pursed her lips together so tightly I saw sores break between the cracks on her lips. "Ava, you're acting ridiculous. Everyone at your age is old enough to have traveled the whole region if they worked fast enough. They would probably be Pokemon master at this time."

"If they're not dead already…" I murmured quietly.

Aunt Lacie's fingers knelt forward and bent around mine and I knew that this was exactly just like having "the talk". Her soothing tone washing over me, her cold skin making my hairs stand up on end and her unnerve of this "talk" that made me so uncomfortable. Yep, it was so similar that I had the urge to shoot up and hide within the essence of my room.

"Sweetie," the purr of her voice hummed and made me want to puke, "I understand your parents'…death is hard for you but please don't let that pull you down from what you really want to do."

I heaved a sigh. How many times did I have to tell her this?

"Aunt Lacie, I don't want to become a Pokemon trainer. Never have and never will. All it's done is…bad things. I don't like it."

"Then what will you plan on being when you get older? Surely you can't live here forever."

I shrugged. "I don't know but definitely not a Pokemon trainer. Being a Pokemon trainer…I don't know what to think of it. I just never want to be one, no matter what. So please don't try to force or change my mind."

Aunt Lacie sighed. "If that's what you really want, Ava. I'll call Professor Elm to cancel. Tell me if you change your mind."

Aunt Lacie bolted upward abruptly where her eyes flickered nervously toward the oven, which I glimpsed at in time to realize she had been cooking something on the frying pan. The alert dings of the oven chirped through the kitchen, inflicting grumbles in my ravenous stomach. I stirred like a jitter-bug in my seat and inhaled the lush, salty aroma that the scrambled eggs wafted and the greasy, heavy scent the bacon produced.

As I watched Aunt Lacie pace while forcing the scrambled eggs onto two plates, a buzzing occurred from my right ear and I felt a soft cottony hand swivel back and forth between both shoulders. Chirping, similar to what the oven sounded like, filled my ears and I swayed like a rocking chair in order to avoid the sharpness of the sound.

Unsteadily, this swaying resulted in a fall of which I rotated on the tile, stone floor to where my skin felt as smooth as granite. Cotton, as weightless as clouds, rubbed against the frame of my face and I shoved my hands outward to keep away the drowning, twittering figure I knew as my Swablu, Litia.

"Litia!" I snapped, snatching onto the chair in order to stand up. "Don't surprise me on mornings! I'm still half-asleep."

Litia freed a small squeal that indicated a whine, cascading with her frilly, fluffy wings toward the very top of my head. She comfortably nuzzled at the roots of my hair and floated there to what she thought as a nest. I sighed and let her enjoy the little "bed" that she had created at the midst of my head and began to plow hungrily into the eggs Aunt Lacie had made.

Litia I had gotten from my Aunt Lacie and, although she was still naïve and young, Litia was otherwise growing everyday. I wasn't surprised when Aunt Lacie had gotten her for me on my last birthday. Her hopes were high and she, once again, suggested that becoming a Pokemon trainer was not such a bad experience. I was, however, thinking the exact opposite and I turned her down just like I always did nowadays. I must've adapted my stubbornness from my aunt for she never quits, no matter how many times I say I never want to be a Pokemon trainer.

I was foolish to have convinced everyone that I wasn't ever to become a Pokemon trainer for somehow, someway I would become one… (A/N: Foreshadow! hint, hint ;))

My throat felt dry, like the outskirts and center pieces of the desert. It was just like the sun peeling away my skin while executing warmth, or the wolves scraping against the rim of my neck as they did to the sand on a daily basis in the deserts. I stifled a cough while, without hesitation, flexed out my fingers to grab hold of a cup of orange juice my Aunt Lacie had placed in front of me and began to hurriedly gulp down it's remnants. Relief swept over me as I exhaled my now fruity scented breath and shot a glance toward the clock clicking towards the very right wall.

9:54am, nearly 10:00am.

Today I had different plans then from the usual. I had promised Aunt Lacie the previous week that I would try to make new friends, some of which had recently moved here a few days ago. So today I was going to try to fulfill that promise and greet the new townspeople. Aunt Lacie had suggested it yesterday and had convinced me to bring Litia along, too. I wasn't exactly "eager" but for Aunt Lacie's sake I was going to at least try.

I rose from my seat and deposited my plate into the sink, washing off the leftovers and placing it into the dishwasher. Litia shifted with a little discomfort on my head till she found the correct position and dozed off into a peaceful nap, apparently satisfied.

I trotted up the stairs and slipped into my room, getting undressed into my school uniform which I grew to wear when I didn't feel like picking out the right clothes. I trudged into the bathroom, staring into the mirror to find Litia curled into a small ball on my head using strands of my black hair as her blanket. I giggled at the image. It looked like I was wearing a cotton hat; a very cute one, at that.

Grabbing my toothbrush and toothpaste, I began to brush casually on my teeth till it seemed 2 minutes had gone by. Then I spit out the mint flavored toothpaste and rinsed my mouth full of water. After I repeated this, I snatched the brush and began to mindlessly brush through my hair, which resulted in an astonished yelp by Litia. I grimaced at how I had forgotten about Litia and apologized to her as she flew and perched on my left shoulder.

I combed through it promptly and hastily loped down the stairs, hollering my last good-bye to Aunt Lacie before I was off.

The sun lay paralyzed in the now auburn sky, dust collecting and merging with the late morning scene to where the clouds grew to pale beige. Fragments of flower petals curtsied as it passed us, following the direction of which the wind took it. The fresh scent of spring kindled and swept the hibernated Pokemon to where they were awake and more alive than they had been through winter. The ground was charged with plants and of new life, all blossoming into the stunning beauty that made the world all the more beautiful.

Overhead, Bellossoms pranced with petals soaring like tornadoes around them, chanting only in a language that Pokemon understood. Sentrets clawed their way up the oak trees that stood off to the side, each playing roughly to where leaves fluttered toward the ground in a chain. Swarms of Ledybas jeered while hovering past the various Pokemon that came out to play. The breeze carried them onward over forests farther till they were touching the aura of the sunrise.

Litia swooned in the air, flurrying her wings frantically till she managed to uplift her feathery body. Air gathering beneath the brim of her wings, she hovered contently at her accomplishment and began to buzz wildly past the cheery Bellossoms, joining in with their melody.

It was only a moment too soon till I would press Litia onward and we would be turning around the first block toward the new neighbor's house.

Anxiety swooped over me and I felt the need to turn around and go home with the pessimistic thought that the neighbors wouldn't take a good liking to me. Would the neighbors accept me? If so, how would they like me?

Making new friends didn't seem so simple when two of my closest friends had left 4 years ago around the same exact time. That memory had always haunted me with giving Natalie my last hug and receiving Reah's letter that Mrs. Livingston had addressed to me. I had kept that key that Reah had slid in her letter. In fact, it was jingling in my skirt pocket this very second. It always made me feel more confident during certain times.

Litia periled down lower, looking as if a small cloud was drifting just inches above the ground. I stumbled while trying to avoid stepping on Litia and then kneeled down to scoop the hovering bird into my palm. I settled her on my arm for the moment till I felt her squirm uneasily with discontent and constant bickering. I finally released her but explained that she couldn't go too close to the ground.

Understanding, she scurried soundlessly in the breeze's veil and clung with a slippery grip towards my shoulder only when she found the wind lashing her away.

We had just looped around the first block when I saw the new townsfolk gabber about, most of which were children and some looked to be around my age.

One was a girl, about 4' 6" with a slim figure and short blonde hair that extended just a bit past her ear. Her eyes seemed distant and thoughtful, like she was thinking very severely on something. She was one of the only few that were actually sitting down along the curb, watching the others play with fascination but at the same time, with no interest. She looked as if she was the most mature but also the youngest.

The second one that caught my eye was a boy, slightly chubby with shaved hair that looked bald at first but when you looked a second time you could see small hairs of brown on his head. The only thing he was interested in was chasing a discolored soccer ball down the street, his eyes playful with this odd blend of green. He was about 5' 3" and he seemed to be the only one that was actually playing with a non-living object.

The third one was a girl with a skinny shape and long, curly red hair tied into two braids. Her face resembled someone that was shy but also someone that didn't mind breaking the rules every now and then. She had such rosy cheeks that they looked like ones similar to a Pikachu. She nervously paced around on the sidewalk with hopeful blue eyes. Every now and then she would glimpse at her house and then back at the boy who was playing with the soccer ball. Then she would repeat the process again. Her height was 5'7".

The fourth one was a boy who was thin and very handsome with his slightly lilac; dark, brown hair combed back the way a male supermodel looked. Out of all of them, he was the most mysterious with dark chocolate-colored eyes. He just stood still, his eyes sometimes shifting towards anything different around him. What made him just a little immature, however, was that he kept smirking at the red-haired girl and then shaking his head to contain his laughter. His height was about 5'11", nearly 6 feet.

After seeing them for the first time, I found that it didn't seem so hard after all to actually say my hellos. However, what was I to say to them when they find me, a stranger, approaching them? First impressions meant everything when it came down to new people, or at least that was what Aunt Lacie had taught me.

Turning to my right, I was just about to scoop Litia into my arms once again when I found that Litia wasn't even by me. I shot a glance in all directions but Litia was nowhere in sight. And that's when I knew the drama was coming.

I was just about to start screaming Litia's name when I found her, sailing reluctantly forward toward the new neighbors, breaking the wind's speed limit.

"Oh crud…" I muttered, lapping up my pace to speed ahead.

From behind, Litia looked oddly like a speeding bullet that had been released from its trigger, hurdling extraordinarily forward with earsplitting chirps and clucks.

The first one to react to Litia was the chubby, nearly bald boy who lumbered, apparently startled, and froze the air with a terrified yelp. He flapped his arms, his attention completely on trying to hold himself up before hitting the concrete.

I became within a hearing distance and listened, amused, as the chubby boy yelled, "It's a bug! It's a big bug! Get it away from me before it bites me!"

The eldest and tallest was the male model boy, who chuckled softly from the hilarious sight and said over the chubby boy's horrified rants, "Yeah, a bug the size of your head. Get a grip on yourself before someone sees. It's just embarrassing."

The second eldest, the red haired girl, skidded forward and tried to calm the chubby boy down before lunging toward Litia and trying to catch her. The young blonde girl just stared with silence, shaking her head with a bemused expression.

I yielded forward, shouting Litia's name over her continuous buzzing, the chubby boy's timid yelling and the red haired girl's soothing. Litia hindered at my voice and spun in my direction, tackling me but not strong enough for me to stagger backwards. I looked up in apology but at this point the dark haired boy had burst into laughter, the red haired girl was trying to catch her breath, the chubby boy's eyes were still bulging with fear and the blonde haired girl watched me with acid eyes.

"Erm—" I struggled with my apology, waiting for them to become unearthly silent to where my voice was the only thing that carried. "Sorry if my Swablu startled you…My name is Ava Patterson and I wanted to meet the new neighbors…so…hi?" My introduction sounded very awkward, especially at this moment.

The red-haired girl straightened from her jagged breathing, her face hardening and her cheeks tinting rosier with embarrassment.

"I'm terribly sorry. My name is Gina Brianc (A/N: it is pronounced: bree-onk)," She said softly. Following my concerned gaze toward the chubby boy, she prospered a smile and added, "That's Manuel, don't worry about him. He gets frightened easily by new things." She cocked her head toward the eldest and the youngest who both stepped forward to meet me. "And that," gesturing with her head to the eldest, "is Brian and that little one," nodding towards the blonde girl, "is Artemis. She's mute so don't feel nervous if she doesn't respond to you."

I smiled. This meeting wasn't so difficult after all, not even a single challenge. Although I felt guilty when I glimpsed at Manuel who was still staring wide-eyed, apparently ready for Litia to go rabid and pounce on him again.

"Oh, and this is Litia, my Swablu. She gets excited meeting new people so she got down here in a hurry," I explained, wrapping my hands around her to prevent her from escaping.

Brian grinned. "That's alright. She put on a very entertaining show. That was more fun than I had in a long time."

I laughed and Litia purred happily from his compliment. So far it was going very smoothly.

"How long have you lived here?" Gina asked. "Not to be nosy or anything. I hope you don't assume I'm prying."

"Oh, not at all," I assured. "I've lived here since I was three years old. Now I'm 14, but my Aunt Lacie let me live here after my parents' death in Viridian City."

Gina's eyes saddened with tears and my eyes blared with revelation when she apologized, shaken, "I'm so sorry; I can't believe that happened to you."

"Uh—it's not your fault…" I started, still surprised by her change in emotion.

Brian shook his head. "Don't worry about Gina; she's become rather moody lately." His voice lowered to a whisper. "She's sensitive."

"Shut up, Brian," She snapped, her sadness withering into anger.

"Told you she's moody," He whispered, rolling his eyes.

I laughed once more and asked, "So, where did your family move from?"

Gina paused. "The Kanto region, we also moved from Viridian City. Our parents took hate into that city and pity into the region. They decided that moving to a quiet town inside a different region was best for our needs." She sighed. "For some reason they despised the gym leader of that city. Do you know what he does to Pokemon?" Gina shook her head with shame. "Dreadful things let me tell you."

Judging by the look on her face, I knew she didn't want to go into detail. Changing the subject was best, so I inquired rather quickly, "How old are you?"

"Oh, I'm 14. Big coincidence, huh?" Gina smiled.

"And I'm 15. It seems like I'm the oldest in these parts," Brian said, flashing a smile.

"Artemis is eight; soon going to be a Pokemon trainer," Gina added, "and Manuel is 11, trying to pass his exams in order to be a Pokemon trainer."

In order to be a Pokemon trainer, everyone has to take exams. There are three in total.

The first one is based on your knowledge of Pokemon, including all of their types. The first one was usually the longest and most challenging of all.

The second one was based off all the regions and the history of the regions, including all of the towns and cities that reside in them. This one gave you a 50/50 chance to pass.

And the third one was a personality quiz, asking what you would do to your Pokemon to help raise it, or if there was a dangerous situation.

If you pass the exams, then you could either say yes or no to becoming a Pokemon trainer. Then you get to choose a Pokemon that you favored and wished to use. Most of the time is was the three starter pokemon in Jhoto which were: Cyndaquil, Totodile and Chikorita.

I had passed the exams, however, said no to becoming a Pokemon trainer. Reah and Natalie had followed…until changing their minds that one year.

Manuel, snapping out of his shocked state, twisted his face into a sour expression, looking as if he was sucking on a lemon. "Let's just say I'm not the brightest in my class."

I laughed and shifted my eyes toward the odd-colored soccer ball. "Well, I see you're into soccer."

Manuel raised an eyebrow and kneeled down to pick up the soccer ball. He shook it a bit, waiting for something to pop out of it. I watched, confused at how he continued to shake it and then I noticed six holes around the outer edges of the ball. That was when it hit me.

"Oh, my apologies. You have a Squirtle," I observed as two arms, two legs, a round head and a swirl tail popped out from the holes.

Its outer shell was hard and continued with the pattern of either hexagons or diamonds. It was tan with its belly side a light cream color. Its round head shined slightly with a bit of an aquamarine blend to its body parts. The Squirtle looked similar to a turtle but also like a small, mutant human with a bald head. In a way it bared a resemblance to Manuel but with bigger, more curious brown eyes.

It beamed a flattened "Squirtle!" and wobbled in Manuel's stubby arms.

Litia squirmed in my hands but I kept my arms huddled around her and pressed her tightly against the part of my shirt that was covering my belly.

"My parents had gotten it for me because they thought I would pass," Manuel explained, depressed, "but I haven't passed…yet. I passed the second and third exam but the first exam is just too hard. It takes up half the grade and that's where I go wrong."

Manuel watched Litia squirm around in my arms and then his eyes widened with anticipation. He stared, with big eyes, as big as his Squirtle's, or that's what it looked like to me, and asked, "Are you a Pokemon trainer?"

My smile dropped and in exchange a frown rose on my face.

"To be honest…no. I passed the exams but I didn't want to become a Pokemon trainer…That was what killed my parents…" My voice trailed off.

Manuel struggled to say something further but Brian swung his hand and rammed the back of Manuel's head. Manuel glanced up with innocence and annoyance into Brian's vicious glare and instantly fell into silence.

The mood inside the area was now a depressing one and I sighed before offering a smile. Thank goodness there was an option to change the subject for I accepted it and glanced at both Brian and Gina.

"Are you two Pokemon trainers?" I inquired, hoping not to flex out the depressing mood even more.

Gina was the first to reply by shaking her head and saying, "I'm a trainee for becoming a nurse. I've been discussing these matters with the nurses and my parents and we've come to an agreement. I've been training in various Pokemon centers and became involved in all types of healing-related situations. When I turn 16 years old I'll have permission to become a real nurse like the ones that heal your Pokemon inside Pokemon centers."

"And I'm planning on being a researcher for Pokemon," Brian cut in.

"Wow, that's really cool," I nodded off to both of them.

What was I supposed to say now? It seemed as if every subject was stolen at this point. I had no plans for my future and haven't even pondered on the subject. I've been too busy as it was trying to avoid Aunt Lacie's lectures and suggestions. For some reason, everyone knew what their future plans were except me. The new neighbors seemed to have things figured out so what was I to say?

"Ava? Ava?"

I snapped back into reality, realizing that Brian had been calling my name. I flushed scarlet with embarrassment but managed to muffle a reply.

"Yes?"

"We were going to go out into the forest nearest to New Bark Town for a little exploration. Do you think it would be alright if you could come with us? We'll be leaving very soon so you're welcome to come with us if you like," Brian offered.

I blinked, a grin automatically lightening my face. "Of course. I'm sure Aunt Lacie wouldn't mind."

In fact, Aunt Lacie wouldn't mind. She would be thrilled and ecstatic. If I had walked back home to ask for her permission, she would've shoved me through the door and called everyone over for a party to celebrate that I had gotten new friends. I smirked at the image and watched with fascination at what the four siblings were about to do.

The four siblings gathered what they needed and all five of us began trudging down the clear concrete roads. I had never assumed we would be leaving so quickly. I thought we would've settled here for a bit and then when we reached nearly the beginning of night, we would start heading towards the direction of the forest. However, I was wrong for we began to soundlessly shuffle towards the forest.

The sky renounced from the color of auburn to the color of crimson, showering everything that it dangled above in strips of scattered shade. Everything seemed darker with the sun playing hide-and-seek from behind the clouds, hiding itself from the world with only bristles of it poking out from the very tip of a downy cumulus cloud. It was probably far past noon and as we reared the outer edge of the forest, I had an awful idea that something terrible was going to occur while we hiked through the forest. Almost as if I had a sixth sense like an Absol had when knowing that disasters were approaching.

Plant growth hung in all directions, hardly any Pokemon were seen at this time of day. It seemed desolate and vacant, like a forgotten land of some sort. Vines swiped from above me, cradling over the ground as it clung possessively to the curved trees. I thought I heard Litia or Manuel whimper but it was so soft that I couldn't tell.

Beside me, Brian spoke but his words seemed as if they were from an unknown language. I couldn't hear anything but the deliberate pounding of my heart. It was almost as if it was taunting me, beating so quickly that I couldn't hear anything around me, including myself thinking. Fear cringed in my chest, swelling my hands as I locked them into a severe fist, apparently trying to force bravery into myself by tightening my grip.

A hand slid onto my shoulder and I screamed so loudly that all four siblings gave me a questionable look.

"I was just going to ask if you were okay," Brian explained, shrugging.

"Er—Sorry. This place just gives me the creeps," I said.

"Don't worry about it, Ava. We usually just hike till we reach the warehouse," Gina assured.

"Oh, okay…" I froze. "Wait, what warehouse?"

Brian raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever been through this forest before?"

I nodded. I had been here hundreds of times but certainly not this late.

"There's a warehouse just at this forest's peak. The door to it is locked and it seems abandoned so we've never decided to go any further other than to that warehouse. It's a boundary line to show that we won't go too far."

I frowned. "But shouldn't Cherrygrove City be reached before that?"

Brian shrugged.

"How many times have all four of you been through the forest before?" I inquired. It seemed like a large number of times since they moved here, which wasn't that long ago.

Brian didn't answer as he ducked beneath a branch and sauntered forward. The three following took the lead and I gave in no choice but to follow.

The air seemed to deepen with cold, yet there was no wind bristling the leaves along the trees. Each of us shivered as we continued to follow Brian's steps. Brian was the only one that wasn't shivering as he ducked past several more branches and avoided a mud pile that relied straight ahead. Gina and Artemis managed to prance over it so that their shoes were mud-free; however, I became too focused on not letting Litia slip from my grasp that I entered right into the leftovers of the mud. Manuel had done the same, apparently trying to do the same thing I was doing except with his Squirtle.

Fresh trails of patches of mud were wasted behind me as I continued to follow intently to wherever Brian was to go. When I peered back at the trail in disgust, the mud prints looked like mini lakes of mud, all wrought into the shape of a foot. Once again, I had grown distracted and walked right into something else. This time it was a branch which was a little more harmful than mud but I learned to look straight ahead rather than behind me.

Humidity enclosed and joined hand-in-hand till jackets of fog became visible around the stillness of the trees. Breathing became challenging as the air thickened and heat grew immense as we drew towards the center of the forest. The fog obscured from a chalky white into a charred black that sent coughs spiraling out each of our throats. Something hissed in the distance and it was like the crackles of fire as sweat coiled down our faces from the intensity of the heat.

Brian howled over the crackling, "Everybody turn around! There's a fire ahead!"

"We can't see anything!" Gina cried, steadying herself with my hand.

I thought hard on what we could do as the fire spread with more endurance. If we turned around now, we would've probably been walking around like blind idiots. But if we didn't we'd be roasted into oblivion. As Litia wobbled against me an idea popped into my head.

"Litia, I need you to flap your wings to blow this smoke away. Can you do it?" I asked, releasing her into the air.

I couldn't see her nod but I knew she had begun flapping when a small gust lobbed by my ear. The smoke had begun to stir and sliver away as the gust rotated it till it bore into circles. Litia was overwhelmed, resting against my palm and then proceeding with the process again. I encouraged her onward till the smoke seemed to have evaporated and we could see everything clearly once again.

I embraced Litia in gratitude and sauntered after Brian who had ambled in the direction of the fire. The other three had followed just as reluctantly, freezing as we all saw the scene that drizzled ahead.

Fire was like a poison to the forest now as it consumed the tree's wood, penetrating the ground's barriers and pausing before slithering onto the next tree in line for torment. The trees cowered with fear but their roots locked firmly against the ground with no intentions of moving or shifting. The grounds that had already been in front of the fire on its rogue trip were charred and lifeless with not a lush, green plant in sight. The Pokemon that had burrowed on these grounds were evading the bright flashes of fire and retreating off to different areas as quickly as their bodies would take them. The sky was coated in smoke, so dense and dry that our lungs gasped for fresh air as the smoke lapped down our throats.

Manuel had set Squirtle down on the ground and began committing various commands, such as "water gun". When Manuel had instructed this, Squirtle inhaled deeply as if to group together his energy and then he lunged forward, water shooting out in a conga over the fire's rapids. The weak amount of water managed to pat down only a teacup amount of fire for the fire hissed and reined down the rows of trees.

"Ah, crud!" Brian swore aloud, trying to find the location of where we came from.

I squinted my eyes to see further past the fire but my vision was too blurry from the coughing I had done from the majority of smoke. Litia had swung her wings around to produce another gust, blowing away some of the smoke for fresh air and a more clear view. In the distance I could now see a small hut ahead; its contents seemed to be made of a metal of some sort. This must've been the warehouse the four had been talking about for they were more relaxed as they crept back into which we came from.

"Wait!" I protested, my voice striking them to a halt. "We can't just leave now! We have to save the forest before it's all in ruins! Don't you see that if we leave now the forest will surely die and we'll be one of its causes for not helping it when it needed help most?"

Gina patted me in comfort. "We were only going to return to the town to get help, Ava. We're not that sleazy as to abandon something in need. What do you take us for?"

"Oh…Sorry, I misinterpreted," I apologized.

Brian rolled his eyes. "Come on, you three, let's go."

We had been casually strolling after Brian when we were all brought into realization by his statement. I was the first to notice but Gina surely was the first one to react as she gaped and frenetically peered around for a sign that all five of us were here in one piece. However, the only result was four.

"Where's Artemis?!" Gina cried, stamping on the trail we had just traveled by from the fire.

"I don't know, Gina, it never struck me that Artemis was the quiet type," Brian snapped sarcastically.

"You are not helping, Brian!" She yelled, smacking him with the back of her hand. "Where's my little sister?! Our little sister?! Is she still at the fire? Did she wander off on her own? Artemis, where are you? Artemis! Artemis! ARTEMIS!"

"Gina, I think you're going hysterical," Brian stated, trying to calm Gina's nerves. "Besides, even if she could hear us, she wouldn't be able to reply. She's mute and what more would she have to say?"

Gina had ignored Brian's statements and called continuously, "ARTEMIS! ARTEMIS! WHERE ARE YOU? ARTEMIS!"

"Women are so stubborn," Brian muttered and followed Gina back towards the fire.

Manuel and I had lagged behind, unsure of what to do at this point since someone was missing. Returning to the fire meant putting our lives in danger but neglecting the fire meant never seeing Artemis again.

The fire licked the trees' chipped bark and towered over the planets ahead; increasing till it was the giant shape of a skyscraper. Gina was too concerned to see the blazes and called for Artemis's name several numbers of times. She halted when she came to the edge of the fire, however, and shouted something I couldn't hear from the distance.

When I stood by Gina's side I saw what she was shouting at. The figure of Artemis was past the ring of fire, clinging protectively to the warehouse so that her life wouldn't fall at risk. She perched against the side of the warehouse, breathing in and out very heavily with droplets of sweat visible from where I was standing. Her hand reached for the doorknob and twisted the gold metallic till her grip grew slippery.

Gina called out Artemis's name once more with a bit more of relief in her tone. Artemis had peered up and gave her a reassuring gesture and smile before sighing and reaching more desperately for the doorknob.

"What is she doing?" Gina wondered aloud. "She has to come over here right away so that she's not burnt to pieces!"

Gina was just about to start beckoning and calling out to Artemis when something latched onto the back of my shirt and Gina's and yanked us backwards. I collapsed onto the charred ground with irritation and saw that the cause of this notion was Brian. He was glimpsing around cautiously, refraining himself from behind a tree that the fire hadn't yet touched. I was about to shout a bitter statement at him when I turned to see what he was looking at.

Men in black suits and hidden behind black hats came marching out from the darkness that settled in the trees, throwing various red and white spheres outward where a red beam spiraled out and grew to the shape of a Pokemon. The men were dressed completely in black, red "R's" printed on the fabric of their shirts and white gloves upon their hands. The Pokemon they summoned were all water-type Pokemon and all looked very weary as they were given commands.

In a matter of seconds the fire was obliterated and the strange men laughed with victory.

"Team Rocket," I heard Brian hiss underneath his breath.

One of the men, taller than the others with matted brown hair poking out from his hat, chuckled, "Thank goodness we got out here in time! Someone would've seen the fire and then our base wouldn't have been so disguised. If that happened the boss would've had our heads and he wouldn't have just killed the witnesses that saw them but us."

I saw Artemis swiftly conceal herself in the shade but her sharp movements had only thrust the Rockets toward her. The shortest and stubbiest stalked toward the warehouse, peering at the side of which Artemis hid and jeered quietly to himself.

"Well, looky what we have here! A little girl!" He exclaimed and I saw Gina cringe upward, Brian hurriedly covering her mouth. "What's your name, little girl?"

Artemis couldn't answer and only stared silently, no hint of fear shining within her blank eyes.

"Mitch, you know what this means, don't you?" The tallest one asked the shortest one. "We'll have to take her to the boss or at least hold her captive. The boss said firmly _no witnesses_."

The shortest, Mitch, darted his eyes at Artemis, kneeling down, snatching her arm and yanking her to her feet. Artemis had committed a silent yelp and pursed her lips together to show no signs of pain. Mitch chuckled to himself and chucked Artemis toward the tallest, of which she stumbled clumsily and bit down on her bottom lip.

"You think she could be useful for labor work? She's skinny but she's being persistent about this," Mitch suggested.

The tallest had shrugged and said, "Maybe. If not, we'll have to kill her. I've got a whole heck load of bullets in my gun right now. Or perhaps would she be a match for our Pokemon?"

Mitch shook his head. "Don't kill her till we confirmed this finding to the boss. You never know if he's feeling generous today."

The men stalked off, forcing Artemis with them and leaving the area in complete silence.

This was the point that I knew that in order to get to them, I needed to take extreme heights. I stared at the locked door of the warehouse and felt the pelting weight the key produced in my skirt pocket. I rummaged my fingers into my pocket and yanked it out with a sure idea.

I stood up, approached the warehouse door, making sure that the men didn't come back and placed the key in the keys slot. I twisted it continuously till I thought that the door was broken. Then a small click filled my mind with excitement. The door creaked open and I knew that whatever lied inside the warehouse was further into danger.

It was a risk I was willing to take.

Claimer: I own the characters (Ava, Brian, Gina, Artemis, Aunt Lacie, Manuel, Manuel's Squirtle, Litia, Aunt Lacie, Reah, Natalie, Mrs. Livingston, Rover, etc…), the characters personalities and last names, the plotline, the warehouse in the forest, and…yeah.


End file.
